Montgenèvre

Geography

Montgenèvre is located in the French Cottian Alps. It is on the Franco-Italian border at the top of the Col de Montgenèvre.

The source of the River Durance is in Les Gondorans ski area of Mongenèvre, this river is a tributary of the Rhône River.

History

Montgenèvre, formerly called Monginevro, belonged to Italy until 1947, when it was ceded to France following World War II and the Paris Peace Treaties.

Ski area

Montgenèvre is a ski resort. It is linked to the Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski area, which has 400 km of pistes. Montgenevre's own ski areas has 85 km of pistes comprising 8 green runs, 12 blue, 22 red and 10 black slopes. The 2006 Winter Olympics were held in the Via Lattea. The resort is famed for lots of sun, good snow record and very good for intermediates. There is ski from your door accommodation. The resort height begins at 1,860 metres and its highest point (at the top of the Le Chalvet lift) is 2,577 metres. It was built in 1907 and celebrated its centenary year in 2007. It claims to be one of the first ski resorts in France. There is also an ice rink, but it lacks night life, which makes it family friendly.

Snowboard facilities include a half pipe, a snow park and two border-crosses.

Lifts There are 35 lifts. This includes 2 gondolas, 12 chair lifts and 23 drag lifts.

Runs There are 59 pistes in the Montgenèvre. There is also 25 km of cross-country skiing terrain. There is 18 km of snow making equipment on the pistes. In the Monts de la Lune ski area which is connected to Claviere there are 71 pistes including 8 green, 19 blue, 30 red and 14 black runs.

Winter activities

The winter season starts in late November and closes in late April.

There are 2 ski schools in the resort. They are ESF and A-PEAK.

APEAK ski school has a team of 15 instructors all fluent in English, Italian and even Dutch for some of them. They all provide tuition and guiding adapted to the skills of their students.

ESF has 900 instructors, and offer alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and heli-skiing activities as well as trips to Serre Chevalier and to the Olympic facilities. There is a snow garden when 4-year-olds and children older can experience skiing.

Summer activities

Roads

The RN94 which climbs up the Col de Montgenèvre runs through the village. A tunnel has recently been built to divert through traffic under the village, making the resort more peaceful. The road runs to Briançon and Oulx. There is a road to Grenoble from Briançon on the RN91 over the Col du Lautaret.

Calais Ferry Port is a 10 hour 30 minutes drive away on French Motorways.

Aeroplane

The nearest international airport is Turin International Airport, an hour and a half drive (101 km) away. Grenoble-Isère Airport is 222 km away and a 2 hour 25 minutes drive away from the resort.

Train

There is a bus to Oulx Railway station in the Susa Valley. This station serves the TGV line between Milan - Turin - Modane - Paris. Paris is 4 and a half hours away from Oulx.

There is an SNCF train station in nearby French town of Briançon. Which has a train service to Gap, Valence TGV, Lyon and Paris.

Bus

There is a bus service which connects the resort to Briançon and Oulx railway station. There is also a village bus for skiers so that they can return to their accommodation which runs between 8.30-18.00. There are 3 buses a day to the village of Les Alberts at the foot of the Col de Montgenèvre in the Val Claree.

Linked resorts

It is a part of the Via Lattea (Milky Way ski area in Italy, where the 2006 Winter Olympics were held.

Pragelato - the resort is part of the Via lattea(Milky Way), is connected to this area by the new cableway Pattemouche - Anfiteatro built in 2006; in Pragelato there is also a cross country courses. There is a wide variety of activities for tourists, who can enjoy any kind of sport, in summer there is also a golf course 9 hole. Pragelato is a natural paradise for cross-country skiing, you have the chance to try the Olympic course supplied with planned snow-making system over 10 km as well as the tourist course that winds along the gorgeous scenarios of the Val Troncea Natural Park. The jumping hill stadium present the Olympic heritage, which highlights the tourist-sport development of this resort

Claviere - This small resort is just over the border in Italy and is included in the Monts de la lune lift pass. It is where the Olympic cross country ski teams practised in the Olympics in 2006.

San Sicario - They held the Biathlon and Alpine skiing events here in the 2006 winter Olympics. They also held the Bobsleigh and luge events here. You can attempt the Olympic women's super G and downhill courses.

Sestriere - This resort was founded by the owner of Fiat. It has been recently sold. The resort held the downhill skiing events and the Olympic village is situated in the village for the 2006 winter Olympics. You can attempt the men's Olympic downhill and super-G courses.

Sauze d'Oulx - Free Style Skiing Olympic events held here in 2006. The resort is acclaimed for its lively apres-ski.

Serre Chevalier - Nearby French resort with over 250 km of skiing. There is a free day of skiing here on your lift pass.